Wolves Now "Protected" Instead of "Strictly Protected" in EU, Opening Door for Faster Culling
EU member states expedite adjustments to wolf culling legislation - Swift Approval of Law Amendment: EU Nations Agree on Increased Wolf Culling Rates
The wave has broken, and the EU no longer sees wolves as strictly protected - giving member states the power to simplify the process for culling and hunting these animals. While the preservation of the species remains key, the change means it will no longer require time-consuming DNA analyses for culling.
Individual EU governments will now weigh in on whether to lower wolf protection, with Germany showing a majority of parties in favor of quicker culling measures, particularly led by the federal states.
Recent years have seen many farm animal losses due to wolf attacks across European nations. In Germany alone, there were over 1,600 wolves documented as of the 2023/24 observation year, with an increase of around 260 from the previous year. These wolves were responsible for over 5,000 sheep injuries, killings, and disappearances in 2023.
- Law Change
- EU
- Luxembourg
- Germany
- Wolf
- Hunting
- Member State
Some exciting details about this change:
- The European Parliament voted this change into law on May 8, 2025, with 371 in favor, 162 against, and 37 abstentions. The Council also approved the proposal.
- Member states have up to 18 months to incorporate the change into their national laws, with the update going into effect 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal.
- Some notable exceptions have been made for countries like Portugal, which aims to maintain stricter wolf protection despite the EU's change.
With this flexibility, countries like Germany may now add wolves to their hunting laws, enabling regulated hunting that allows for more effective management of wolf populations. Luxembourg's plans under the new EU rules have yet to be determined.
- The change in EU law, approved by the European Parliament and the Council on May 8, 2025, grants member states greater flexibility in managing wolf populations, such as simplifying culling and hunting processes.
- In the aftermath of this law change, individual EU governments, like Germany, are now able to decide whether or not to lower wolf protection, with many farming losses reported due to wolf attacks across European nations.
- As member states implement the new EU rules within the next 18 months, countries like Germany and Luxembourg may choose to add wolves to their hunting laws, potentially enabling regulated hunting as a means to manage wolf populations more effectively in line with broader environmental-science, policy-and-legislation, and general-news agendas.
